The Uttar Pradesh tourism department plans to take advantage of the IATO Conventions which will be held in September in Varanasi, to bring various tourist destinations in & around Varanasi to the knowledge of tour operators to reap higher benefits.

Regional tourism officer Dinesh Kumar informed that the number of sites that could be developed as tourist destinations was very high in Varanasi and its adjoining districts. "There is a need to bring those destinations to the knowledge of tourists as well as tour operators. If we succeed in ensuring that the tour operators are including such destinations in the itinerary of foreign tourists, their stay at places like Varanasi may increase by one to two nights, which can increase the income of the industry," he said.

Kumar said the business session would be the ideal forum to convince tour operators to promote the lesser known destinations situated in adjoining districts like Sonebhadra and Mirzapur by including them in the itinerary of tourists visiting Varanasi. He said the department had started doing `homework' in such regard. "Sonebhadra houses Salkhan Fossil Park, which is three times greater than the Yellow Stone Fossil Park of the US," he said and added the rock shelters containing large rock paintings and other natural beauties of those districts could be promoted during the event. 

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